Windows Process Execution of SyncAppvPublishingServer.vbs with Inline PowerShell Commands

Flags Windows executions of SyncAppvPublishingServer.vbs with a semicolon-augmented command line consistent with embedded PowerShell.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: frack113 (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2021-07-16
Updated: 2026-07-31

Analysis Detection

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1216System Script Proxy Execution
- T1218System Binary Proxy Execution
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Windows executions of SyncAppvPublishingServer.vbs where the command line includes the script path along with a semicolon, indicating potential inline command chaining. Attackers can use this technique to run arbitrary PowerShell commands via a trusted or commonly available script mechanism. The detection relies on process creation telemetry and specifically matches command-line content.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1218 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious .NET LOLBin Execution via CasPol or RegAsm

Possible DarkGate DLL Sideloading via iTunesHelper Loading CoreFoundation

Suspicious extrac32 CAB Extraction Abuse

Malicious cdb.exe Masquerading as fontdrvhost in ProgramData (via process_creation)

Malicious certutil Decodehex Payload Reconstruction by DarkGate

Malicious MSIX Package Execution via App Installer ms-appinstaller Protocol (via process_creation)

Malicious ViPNet Backdoor Loader via lumpdiag.exe Path Substitution

Suspicious BitLockerToGo Execution from Unusual Parent

Suspicious Proxy Execution via pcalua

Windows Process Execution of SyncAppvPublishingServer.vbs with Inline PowerShell Commands

Pivot detection · T1218 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v1
No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.

windows-syncappvpublishingserver-vbs-execution-triggers-powershell-via-semicolon-36475a7d

title: Windows Process Execution of SyncAppvPublishingServer.vbs with Inline PowerShell Commands
id: a4634ed4-c3ee-4bbc-a45a-88cedd659147
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows executions of SyncAppvPublishingServer.vbs where the command line includes the script path along with a semicolon, indicating potential inline command chaining. Attackers can use this technique to run arbitrary PowerShell commands via a trusted or commonly available script mechanism. The detection relies on process creation telemetry and specifically matches command-line content.
references:
  - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1216/T1216.md
  - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Syncappvpublishingserver/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_lolbin_syncappvpublishingserver_vbs_execute_psh.yml
author: frack113, Huntrule Team
date: 2021-07-16
modified: 2022-06-22
tags:
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1218
  - attack.t1216
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
      - \SyncAppvPublishingServer.vbs
      - ;
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 36475a7d-0f6d-4dce-9b01-6aeb473bbaf1
    type: derived

Convert

This rule as a query you can run. Uses no unlock credit.

SplunkSPL